Carrying cases



c. w. Moss CARRYING CASES Oct. 30, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1959 m N E m ATTORNEYS Oct. 30, 1962 c. w. MOSS I CARRYING CASES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 15. 1959 Wj HIHW I IHW ATTORNEY5 Oct. 30, 1962 c. w. MOSS 3,061,157

CARRYING CASES Filed Dec. 15. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 66 ja2 I INVENTOR j Mil/AM M055,

110 L6 60 62 BY ATTORNEY5 3,061,157 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 ice CARRYING CASES Charles William Moss, 1415 Beechwood Drive, Ann Arbor, Mich. Filed Dec. 15, 1959, Set. No. 859,597 3 Claims. (Cl. 224-4201) This invention relates to multipurpose carrying cases, and more specifically to a highly versatile carrying case which may be used for automobile and railroad travel, or the like, as Well as a variety of recreational or business activities. The carrying case may be used for carrying and serving refreshments while traveling, as a multipurpose accessory case, which on one occasion may be adapted for use with camera accessories, and on other occasions adaptedfor use with fishing equipment, baby food and accessories, or salesmens samples, for example. Also, it may be used for general luggage purposes.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a carrying case that is light in weight so that it can be picked up and carried easily by hand and yet which is sturdy and durable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carrying case that can be picked up conveniently by a handle or that can be hung on a supporting object such as the back of the seat of an automobile, for example.

Another object is to provide a carrying case that can be furnished with a number of interchangeable partition units so that the case may be used with a variety of articles for different occasions.

Another object is to provide a carrying case that has a lid that may serve as a tray or a desk with provision for adjusting the lid to a horizontal position when the case is hanging from the back of the seat of an automobile, for example. These objects may be accomplished, according to one preferred embodiment of this invention, by providing a carrying case having a box-like body with a lid hinged to the front edge of the bottom of the body, side support members that extend along the sides of the body, and handle members pivotally connected to the top of the side supports. The handle members may be turned to one position so that they serve as a handy grip by which the case may be lifted and carried, or to another position so that they may serve as hooks by which the case may be hung on a supporting object.

Ball-type chains between the sides of the body and the lid may be adjusted to support the lid in a horizontal position. This allows the lid to be used as a tray or a small desk. The side support members and the handles may be made of a strong plastic material, and the body and the lid of the case may be made of a relatively thin plastic material, for example.

This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carrying case of this invention showing the lid closed and the handles in carrying position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carrying case show ing the lid open and the handles turned to serve as hooks;

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the carrying case hung on the back of a seat;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the carrying case;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view showing the lid open;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view corresponding to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view corresponding to FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the lid taken along the line 8 8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the details of the pivotal FIG. 5.

The multipurpose carrying case of this invention is designated generally throughout the drawings by reference numeral 10. The carrying case It) has a main body portion 12 which is formed of side walls 14, a bottom 16, a top 18, and a back wall 2%. Side supports or braces 22 and 24 extend generally vertically along the outside of each of the sides 14 from the bottom 16 to the top 18, and have extensions 26 and 28, respectively, which protrude slightly beyond the rounded corners formed at the juncture of the sides 14 and the top 18.

Two L-shaped handle members 30 and 32 are provided for lifting the carrying case 10. The handles 30 and 32 have generally vertically extending legs 34 and 36, respectively, the lower ends of which are pivotally connected to the top portion of the respective extensions 26 and 28 of the side supports 22 and 24. Also, the handles 30 and 32 have legs 33 and 40, respectively, which extend substantially horizontally and which can be swung easily back and forth from one position wherein they are over the top 18 (illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7) to another position wherein they are approximately perpendicular to the back (illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3). The leg 38 of the handle 34? is cut way at its rearward face as indicated by numeral 42, and the leg 40 of the handle 32 is cut away at its forward face as indicated by numeral 44. When the legs 38 and 40 are swung to the position in which they are over the top 18, they are aligned parallel to one another in overlapping fashion. In this position, the legs 38 and 4%, in effect, form one continuous handle which extends completely across the top 18. This feature can be visualized best from FIGS. 1, 5 and 6. The lower side of the end portions of the legs 38 and 40 are of arcuate configuration, as indicated at 46, so that when they are overlapped they form a single, centrally located hand grip. The inner sides of the central portions of the handles 39 and 32 are formed in a large arcuate configuration as indicated at 47.

It should be apparent that the carrying case 10 may be picked up by the handles and 32 and transported conveniently, during which time the overlapping end portions of the legs 38 and 4b will be held together. The weight of the carrying case 10 will be distributed through the handles 36 and 32, which may be of relatively thick, rigid, material, and through the side supports 22- and 24, which also may be of relatively thick, rigid, material. The side supports 22 and 24 distribute the force of the Weight along the entire length of the sides 14 of the body 12. This allows the body 12 to be made of a relatively thin material because the stresses are spread over a large area.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2. and 3, the legs 38 and may be swung to a position in which they are approximately perpendicular to the back 20 so that the carrying case 10 may be hung on a supporting object, such as the back 48 of the seat of an automobile, for example. The arcuate shaped lower sides of the legs 38 and 4t) serve effectively as spaced-apart hooks to hold the handles 30 and 32 in place. If desired, the carrying case 10 may be hung on any type of horizontally disposed bar-like object. If the object is narrow, the arcuate portions 47 of the handles 30 and 32 may be used.

FIG. 9 shows the details of the pivotal connection between the leg 34 of the handle 30 and the side support 22. The connection between the leg 36 of the other handle 32 and the other side support 24 may be identical.

Such a connection, for example, may include a bolt 50 threaded into the lower portion of the leg 34 and having a head 52 located within a cavity 56 formed in the upper portion of the side support 22. The shank 58 of the bolt 50 passes through a hole 60 in an upper wall 62 of the support 22 and may turn freely therein. A compression spring 64 located around the shank 58 bears against the upper wall 62 and the head 52 so as to force and hold the lower surface of the leg 34 against the upper surface of the support 22. The lower surface of the leg 34 has a semi-spherical lug 66 protruding downwardly therefrom and the upper surface of the support 22 has two semi-spherical depressions or dimples 68 and 70 located 90 degrees apart around the hole 60. Ether one of the dimples 68 or 70 may receive the lug 66, and because of the action of the spring 62, the lug 66 will tend to remain in either dimple. The handle 30 may be turned by exerting sufficient force to move the lug 66 out of the dimple 68 or 70, yet, once the lug 66 has settled into one or the other of the dimples 68 or 70, the handle 30 will tend to stay in place. The lug 66 and the dimples 68 and 76 are located so that the handle 30 tends to stay in either the carrying position or the hanging position. The lug could be placed on the upper surface of the support 22 and the dimples could be placed in the lower surface of the leg 34, if desired.

The carrying case has a lid member 80 which serves as a cover for the front of the body 12 and as a shelf or desk upon which various articles may be placed. The lid 80 has an outer, substantially flat, cover member 82. A hinge connection 84 swingably connects the cover member 82 along one of its sides to the front edge of the bottom 16. The hinge connection 84 may be of the type that will allow the lid 80 to be separated from the bottom 16. The cover 82 has an upturned lip 85 extending completely around its three remaining sides. A plate member 86 is fitted into the lip 85 so as to be generally parallel to and spaced a short distance from the cover 82, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Longitudinal bar members 88, which are fixed inside along opposite portions of the lip 85 may engage a considerable length of the front edge of the sides 14 to ensure that the lip 84 of the cover 82 is aligned properly with the sides 14 when the lid 80 is swung upwardly to its closed position. Also, the bars 88 serve to strengthen the cover 82 and the plate 86 and allow these members to serve effectively as a tray when the lid is opened.

The plate 86 may be provided with holes 92 for receiving glasses 94, or other articles such as cups or bottles. These articles may fit inside the holes and rest on the .cover 82. This will keep them from sliding or tipping. Other articles 96, food items for example, may be placed conveniently upon the plate 86, and the lip 84 will keep them from sliding off. If desirable, the plate 86 may be formed so that it can be removed from the cover 82 in order that the inside of the cover 82 may be cleaned easily.

Ball-type chain members 100 are attached at one of their ends to the inside of each side 14. The free end of the chains 100 may be fitted into key-hole type slots 102 provided in each of the bars 88 in order to support the lid 80 in a horizontal position. The chains 100 may be adjusted so that they vary the angle between the lid 80 and the body 12. As illustrated in FIG. 3, when the carrying case 10 is hung on the back 48 of either the front or the rear seat of an automobile, the angle between the lid 80 and the body 12 may be made to be more than 90 degrees so that the lid 80 may be held in horizontal position. This angular relationship is illustrated also in FIG. 2. On the other hand, the carrying case 10 may be hung on the back of the front seat so that the case opens toward the rear seat. Then the angle between the lid 80 and the body 12 may be made to be less than 90 degrees in order to hold the lid 80 in a horizontal position. An angular relationship of about 90 degrees between the lid 80 and the body 12 is shown in FIG. 7.

A latch device may be provided for keeping the lid 80 in its closed position and may be made of a hookshaped spring element 106 secured at one end to the cover 82 and actuated by a plunger 108 which slides back and forth through a hole in an enlarged portion 110 of the cover 82. A triangular-shaped stop 112 located on the inside face of the top 18 allows the hooked portion of the spring 106 to pass when the lid is closed, but it prevents the lid 80 from being swung downwardly, as indicated by arrow A, until the plunger 108 is pushed inwardly to flex and depress the spring 106.

Inside the body 12 there is a removable partition unit that divides the interior of the body into several compartments. The partition unit 120 is formed of two relatively long walls 122 connected by two relatively short walls or shelves 124. The partition unit 120 illustrated in FIG. 2 provides two large compartments which are suitable for vacuum bottles, for example, and three smaller compartments which are suitable for sandwiches and other food items. The partition unit 120 may be removed so that the interior of the body 12 is not compartmented. The carrying case 10 then may be used for carrying any number of relatively large articles, such as towels, bathing suits, blankets, etc.

The carrying case 10 may be furnished with various different removable partition units, in addition to the particular partition unit 120 that is illustrated. For example, individual partition units may be furnished that will provide special compartments for adapting the carrying case 10 for camera equipment, or displays to be used by salesmen, or fishing equipment, or baby foods and accessories.

It should be noted that because the hinge connection 84 is located at the forward edge of the bottom 16, all parts of the interior of the carrying case 10 are conveniently accessible, and the various partition units may be easily inserted or removed without obstruction. Additionally,. this location of the hinge connection 84 permits the lid 80- to be of maximum size, and it may be swung to its opened or closed positions Without moving or disturbing the contents of the carrying case 10. Furthermore, if it is not desirable or convenient to hang the carrying case 10, it may be set upon a generally fiat surface, such as a floor, the ground, or the seat of an automobile, and then the lid80 may be swung open while the back 20 is tilted against a wall, tree, or the back of the seat. Then the chains 100 may be secured at an appropriate place in the slots 102 to aid in supporting the body 12.

A retainer strap 130, illustrated in FIG. 5, may be provided to hold the contents of the carrying case 10 in place when the lid 80 is swung downwardly. The strap may be fastened at its ends to the sides 14 and may be made of rubber, for example, so that it will b expansible. The strap has been omitted from FIG. 2 for clarity. Obviously, any suitable number of retainer straps, such as the strap 130, may be provided.

The body 12, the component parts of the lid 80, and the partition unit 129 may be made of relatively thin plastic material, or the like. This allows the carrying case to be of minimum weight. The side supports 22 and 24 serve to strengthen the body 12 and to distribute the force of the weight of the carrying case over a large area when it is lifted by the handles. Even through the body 12 may be of thin material, it will be sufiiciently stiff so that when the carrying case is set down on its bottom it will remain upright. The stiff Walls of the carrying case and the side supports 22 and 24 protect the contents against smashing and breaking.

The structural features disclosed above allow the variour components of the carrying case 10 to be formed inexpensively according to well known manufacturing procedures, and then assembled into a sturdy, compact, lightweight carrying case unit. Although the carrying case 10 is particularly suitable for being made of a plastic material, other materials such as steel, aluminum, wood, etc. may be used.

Although a certain embodiment of this invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that modifications may be made. Consequently, it is intended that the foregoing description should be considered as exemplary only, and the scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims.

I claim:

1. A carrying case comprising a body having sides, a top, a back and a bottom; a lid hinged to the front edge of the bottom of the body and swingable to one position to serve as a cover for the carrying case or to another position to serve as a tray; rigid supports extending along and attached throughout their length to the outside of each of the sides; a lip extending around the sides of the lid; longitudinal bars on the lip adjacent the sides of the body for strengthening the lid; adjustable means between the sides of the body and the bars for selectively limiting the distance the lid may be swung away from the body; a pair of handles for serving as a hand grip by which the carrying case may be lifted and carried or as hooks by which the carrying case may be hung, said handles each comprising a first leg extending above and away from the top of the carrying case, and a second leg extending generally perpendicularly from the first leg and generally parallel to the plane of the top of the carrying case; means for pivotally connecting each of the first legs to the upper portion of respective supports including a bolt attached to the first leg and having a head received within a cavity in the body; and resilient means for restricting but not preventing pivotal movement of the handles.

2. A carrying case comprising a body having sides, a top, a back and a bottom; a lid hinged to the cfiront edge of the bottom of the body and swingable to one position to serve as a cover for the carrying case or to another position to serve as a tray; rigid supports extending along and attached throughout their length to the outside of each of the sides; a lip extending around the sides of the lid; longitudinal bars on the lip adjacent the sides of the body for strengthening the lid; adjustable means between the sides of the body and the bars for selectively limiting the distance the lid may be swung away from the body; a pair of handles for serving as a hand grip by which the carrying case may be lifted and carried or as hooks by which the carrying ease may be hung, said handles each comprising a first leg extending above and away from the top of the carrying case, and a second leg extending generally perpendicularly from the first leg and generally parallel to the plane of the top of the carrying case; means for pivotally connecting each of the first legs to the upper portion of respective supports including bolt u of the bottom of the body and swingable to one position to serve as a cover for the carrying case or to another position to serve as a tray; rigid supports extending along and attached throughout their length to the outside of each of the sides; said rigid supports having extensions integral therewith extending beyond the juncture of the sides of the top of the body; a lip extending around the sides of the lid; longitudinal bars on the lip adjacent the sides of the body for strengthening the lid; adjustable means between the sides of the body and the bars for selectively limiting the distance the lid may be swung away from the body; a pair of handles for serving as a hand grip by which the carrying case may be lifted and carried or as hooks by which the carrying case may be hung, said handles each comprising a "first leg extending above and away from the top of the carrying case, and a second leg extending generally perpendicularly from the first leg and generally parallel to the plane of the top of the carrying case; means for pivotally connecting each of the first legs to the upper portion of respective extensions of the supports including bolt means extending from the first legs and pivotally connected with said supports; and means between the first legs and said supports for restricting but not preventing pivotal movement of the handles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 362,581 Heller May 10, 1887 893,694 Allenson July 21, 1908 1,044,055 Johnson 'et al. Nov. 12, 1912 1,404,368 Hastey Jan. 24, 1922 1,513,163 Dobrin Oct. 28, 1924 2,339,907 Bracken Jan. 25, 1944 2,503,602 Titley Apr. 11, 1950 2,617,573 Nahoom Nov. 11, 1952 2,645,392 Gottsegen et al. July 14, 1953 2,768,720 Nelson Oct. 30, 19:56 

